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In AD 282, the emperor Probus was killed by his own soldiers at Sirmium, apparently after he complained about the necessity of maintaining a standing army. Following the murder, Carus, the Praetorian Prefect, was proclaimed emperor by the soldiery. Not bothering to seek the endorsement of the Senate, Carus simply informed that august body of his assumption of the purple and set out to embark upon a war against the Sasanian Persian Empire that Probus had already been planning when he was killed. To aid him in this endeavour, he elevated his two sons, Carinus and Numerianus, to the rank of Caesar.
Carus then took Numerian to the East to serve as his lieutenant, but left Carinus to govern the Western Roman Empire in his absence. At first, Carinus seems to have fulfilled his duties, repressing rebellions in Gaul and campaigning against the Germanic Quadi, but by AD 283, he is said to have abandoned the defence of the frontiers to underlings and retired to Rome. Once ensconced in the old imperial capital, Carinus reportedly engaged in all manner of excess, the most notable of which must have been his marriage to and divorce from nine different women in the course of less than a year.
His behaviour alienated the Senate and when the rumours began to reach Carus he vowed to demote his son and give the position of Caesar to Constantius Chlorus, the future Tetrarch. Carus and Numerianus enjoyed great successes against the Sasanians, but the campaign fell apart unexpectedly when Carus was struck by lightning and killed. The Roman army was shocked by this development [although perhaps less so than Carus himself] and feared to continue the war. Making the best of a bad situation, Numerian decided to return to Rome to celebrate a Persian triumph and assume the title of Augustus along with his brother.
Unfortunately, Numerian fell ill and died [or was killed] on the return march. Diocletian, the commander of his bodyguards, was proclaimed emperor in his stead. This was a serious problem for Carinus, who, when he learned of what had happened, immediately marshalled his forces to make war on the usurper. The armies of Carinus and Diocletian clashed at the Margus River in Moesia in 285 BC. Sources disagree about the details of the battle. It would seem that initially Carinus had the upper hand, but at an inopportune moment he was murdered by a tribune whose wife he had seduced. With the death of Carinus, Diocletian carried the day and became sole emperor.
Carus then took Numerian to the East to serve as his lieutenant, but left Carinus to govern the Western Roman Empire in his absence. At first, Carinus seems to have fulfilled his duties, repressing rebellions in Gaul and campaigning against the Germanic Quadi, but by AD 283, he is said to have abandoned the defence of the frontiers to underlings and retired to Rome. Once ensconced in the old imperial capital, Carinus reportedly engaged in all manner of excess, the most notable of which must have been his marriage to and divorce from nine different women in the course of less than a year.
His behaviour alienated the Senate and when the rumours began to reach Carus he vowed to demote his son and give the position of Caesar to Constantius Chlorus, the future Tetrarch. Carus and Numerianus enjoyed great successes against the Sasanians, but the campaign fell apart unexpectedly when Carus was struck by lightning and killed. The Roman army was shocked by this development [although perhaps less so than Carus himself] and feared to continue the war. Making the best of a bad situation, Numerian decided to return to Rome to celebrate a Persian triumph and assume the title of Augustus along with his brother.
Unfortunately, Numerian fell ill and died [or was killed] on the return march. Diocletian, the commander of his bodyguards, was proclaimed emperor in his stead. This was a serious problem for Carinus, who, when he learned of what had happened, immediately marshalled his forces to make war on the usurper. The armies of Carinus and Diocletian clashed at the Margus River in Moesia in 285 BC. Sources disagree about the details of the battle. It would seem that initially Carinus had the upper hand, but at an inopportune moment he was murdered by a tribune whose wife he had seduced. With the death of Carinus, Diocletian carried the day and became sole emperor.